Discover the Celestial Mountains

Today is the big day! You’ll finally get to meet your fellow tour partners as well as guides before heading off into the Kyrgyz wilds. Before heading out, we’ll have a short debriefing where we talk about the details of the trip.

Our first stop is the Burana Tower just outside Bishkek. This is one of the most famous archeological sites in the country. Locals also love to sell fresh fruit here.

Afterward, we drive about an hour to Konorchek Canyons where we will be spending the bulk of the day. This area is a favorite among locals and a bit of a hidden gem. We will hike around the rust-colored canyons for a few hours before departing to our final destination: Kochkor.

In Kochkor, guests will have the opportunity to visit a legendary craft store (owned by an amazing woman) and visit an old salt mine. The latter is believe to have therapeutic properties, particularly for the lungs. A great place to ready ourselves before heading into the high mountains!

Note: Guests are asked to arrive either prior to or very early on Day 1 (before 6 am). The first day will be long so we want to have as much time as possible.

We hit the road and make for one of our favorite places in Kyrgyzstan: Song Kul. This high alpine lake, located at 3000 meters high, is only a few hours drive away, yet you feel like you’re in Alaska!

Once we arrive at Song Kul, guests will have the opportunity to unwind and relax or explore the lake further. Horse riding is very popular here as is drinking kumis, a Kyrgyz delicacy.

Today we depart from Song Kul to Krygyzstan’s largest and most famous lake: Issyk Kul. This enormous body of water is the 6th deepest lake in the world and never freezes. It’s waters are crystal clear and are framed by beautiful red sand beaches and snow-capped mountains.

We’ll head straight to our yurt located on the shores of the lake. It’s a special place surrounded by desert formations, hushed by the wilderness, and kissed by the turquoise waters of Issyk Kul. 

A short but epic sunset hike in a nearby secret canyon is on the program for the late afternoon. 

We depart from our beloved yurt camp and travel east along the south shore of Issyk Kul. Along the way, we’ll stop by several epic locations.

First is Fairytale Canyon, whose rock formations resemble those in Utah or Arizona. There we will be met by some local eagle hunters and they will demonstrate to us one of the most respected trades in Kyrgyzstan. 

Afterward, we head to Barskoon Gorge, famous for being Yuri Gagarin’s favorite vacation spot and the center of the world accordingly to one ancient scholar. We’ll have a picnic here and will have the chance to visit a lovely waterfall nearby. 

From our picnic place, we travel deeper into the gorge until we begin to climb. Our goal is to reach the top of the Arabel Plateau (4000 meters), which will be highest altitude on the trip. No worries, we won’t linger long but be prepared for snow. 

Finally, we depart back to the lake and check into our guesthouse in Tosor.

Wake up with an epic sunrise over the lake a maybe a cool dip! Today, we head for the Karakol Valley via the southern shore of Issyk Kul, home to the amazing Ala Kul.

Arriving at the trailhead just outside of Karakol (the city), we’ll officially start the trek. The trail is covered by lush woods the entire way.

After 5-6 hours walk, we’ll reach a small yurt camp and will have our lunch. Ala Kul will be about 1100 meters above us.

Once re-energized, we’ll hit the trail again and walk another 2-3 hours until we reach High Camp. This is our resting place for the night.

Total trekking distance: 13.7 km
Altitude Gain: 950 meters
Trekking Time: 5-7 hours with breaks. 
Accomodation: Tents 

Today’s going to be an epic day! We wake up early and start the ascent to the magnificent Ala Kul. Situated at 3500 meters, this is one of the highest and most beautiful lakes in Kyrgyzstan.

Since we have already hiked halfway up the steep trail the day before, we only have another 500-600 meters  to gain to achieve the Ala Kul cauldron. This portion of the trail is mostly boulder fields and can be quite steep and exposed to the sun. 

After reaching the lake, we will eat lunch and take time to enjoy the scenery. After lunch, we have our 2nd push of the day: trekking over a mountain pass to yet another incredible valley below. 

After we descend the pass, we arrive at a lush yurt camp and settle in for the night. 

Total trekking distance: 6.8 km
Altitude Gain: 940 meters
Trekking Time: 6-7 hours with breaks. 
Accomodation: Tents or Yurts

We will depart our camp early while the weather is fair. Today is an easy day! We drop more than 1000 meters of altitude to reach our destination: a riverside yurt camp complete with hot springs!

Altyn Arashan is one of the most magical places in Kyrgyzstan. It is famed for the thermal water that runs from the nearby mountains and this is pumped into local saunas. The water is the perfect temperature and is a great way to ease those tired muscles after 2 days of hiking. The views of the valley aren’t too bad either. Our accommodation will be in comfy yurts with hot spring baths just 50 meters away.

Total trekking distance: 9.2 km
Altitude Gain: 50 meters
Trekking Time: 2-3 hours with breaks. 
Accomodation: Yurts

Sadly, we must leave Altyn Arashan and head back to Karakol. We have the chance to get one last dip into the hot springs at sunrise with coffee. 

We’ll make our way back via Kamaz (Russian 4×4 school bus – tank hybrid). This ride can be a bit bumpy but the scenery is out of this world Drive time should be around 2-3 hours Karakol where hot showers and laundry await.

Later in the afternoon, the team will have the opportunity to visit a few cultural during their free time landmarks around Karakol, including the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Dungan Mosque, and a Soviet antique store.

That night, we have a special activity planned: a sunset boat trip on Issyk Kul! Bring your favorite summer-wear and drinks!

We’re heading back out into the wilderness folks! This time to an isolated section of Kyrgyzstan located on the Chinese border referred to as Sary Jaz. Not many people visit this part of the country for whatever reason. But it is a spectacular region with quintessential Kyrgz landscapes: lush jailoos (summer meadows), towering peaks, and vast open skies.

We will be making several stops on the way to Sary Jaz: at a historical site, a quick bathroom break in Kazakhstan, and an epic viewpoint where, on clear days, we can see the gorgeous Khan Tengri (7000m).

We will arrive at our campsite in the late afternoon where we prepare dinner and accommodation. Guests have the opportunity to ride horses, hike, or just chill out for the rest of the day.

Camping in Sary Jaz will be a highlight of our trip as the heavens are crystal clear.

Following our long journey from the previous day – this “zero driving day” is purposed for soaking in the true beauty, vibe, and grandeur of the Sary Jaz region. The plan is to go for a horse trail ride to a remote part of this valley where the mountains straddle the China border and just take in this extremely remote and untouched part of the world. 

Photography opportunities on this day are next level so make sure you bring your camera!

We will end the day with a tasty home cooked dinner from our camp staff and another beautiful night under the Sary Jaz star scape. 

Today, we load back in our trusy Kamaz and return to Karakol and back to civilization via Chonn-Ashu Pass (3822 meters).

When we arrive, we will check into our accommodation and you will be reunited with your beloved, long-lost shower and a comfy bed.  

We begin the last leg of our journey back to Bishkek. But it’s not the end of the tour yet! We still have to see the northern shore of Issyk Kul and the pastoral hamlet of the Chong-Kemin Valley. 

Chong-Kemin is a wide valley with lots of room to breath and wander. Our hotel will be an excellent one and will feel like a palace in a lot of ways. We will have cultural activities planned for the night and, after an amazing dinner, a bonfire as well.

Today is our last full day in Kyrgyzstan and by God it’ll be a good one! We’ll head back to Bishkek for one last hurrah!

Whilst in Bishkek, we will get to explore the city’s many hidden gems, including Soviet monuments, lush parks, famed breweries, and maybe even a secret speakeasy 😉

We’re going to be finishing of Kyrgyzstan tour in (Kyrgyz) style people!

We say goodbye and arrange for transfers to the airport for those who are flying out over the next 24 hours. Check out of the hotel is around 11 am on this day.

You can choose to stay at the same hotel if you are not flying home right away, though any additional nights at the hotel are not covered by Epic.